Automobile parking system



Nov. 18, 1930. s. M. FLANNERY' AUTOMOBILE PARKING, SYSTEM Filed Sept. 16, 1929 V ATTORNEY Patented Nov. '18, 1930 BERNARD M. FLANNERY, OI SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AUTOMOBILE PARKING SYSTEM Application filed September-16, 1929. Serial No. 393,046.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile parking and storage systems,

ble for use along the curbs or edges of side- 5 walks in congested portions of towns on cities.

The object of the invention is to provide such asystem by means of which automobiles may be safely stored in excavations under the street level, and whereby any iven automobile may be instantly accessi hle at any time for removal.

A further object is to provide a storage elevator ada ted to be raised 'or lowered above or be ow the surface of the street,

the said elevator having storage compartments for automobiles.

A still further object is to provide an elevator having compartments at different horizontal levels and means for positioning the elevator so that an automobile may be driven directly into one of the compartments from the street.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a fragment of a sidewalk and my device and automobiles therein.

' Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates the sidewalk, and 2 the street surface, which is excavated, as at 3, to any convenient depth. In this instance, I have shown excavation sufficiently deep to accommodate. three tiers of automobiles.

Within the excavations 3 are single tubes 4, one tube for each corner of a platform 5. The tubes are provided with castings 6, bored out at 7 to slidably receive a piston stem 8, which passes through a casting 9 similarly bored to receive a stem. A ipe 1O conducts water into the lower ends 0 the tubes under suitable valve control means indicated at 11, and accessible to an operator upon the street level.

Platforms 5 5". 5 and 5 are located one above the other, identical with the. platform 5. All of these platforms extend across an and particularly a system which is applicaelevator cage having side walls 12, and braces 13. I prefer to emplo about two of these elevator systems to eac city block, as indicated in Figure 1.

The operation of the system is that owners of automobiles drive up along the street 111 the usualmanner and up to the curb, where an operator is stationed to receive the toll. The operator, after receiving the toll, either moves the automobile into the position indicated in Figure 1 or the owner may drive it into that position himself. The operator then turns the valve 11 so as to let the water out of the tubes 4 with the resultant descent of the entire elevator cage such distance as will 05 bring its top surface central with the street surface. In case there is only one empty compartment in the elevator, and that empty compartmentis, for example,in the lower tier, then the operator turns the valve 11 so as to raise the entire elevator sufliciently to bring the lower tier just abovethe street level, and the driver then drives the car into that empty compartment, and the'operator causes the entire cage to be lowered into its normal position by operation of the valve 11.

Such an apparatus would take care of the parking in a congested section quickly and by reason of the fact that one attendant could easily handle a largenumben of cars, the parking could be very reasonable. It would eliminate thecars parked along the curb in the congested area, said cars being the cause of many accidents by obstructing the view and limiting the space for -moving cars. Such a device would be practical and useful.

What is claimed to be new is:

An automobile housing device comprising an elevator having a series of platforms at different horizontal. levels, said elevator being adapted to be lowered into a pit adjacent a curbstone, cylinders at each corner ofthe elevator, pistons operating in said cylinders, piston rods extending the length of the cylinder and secured to the elevator at each upper corner, and means for operating the pistons to raise and lower the elevator.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. BERNARD M. FLANNERY. 

